Gandhinagar, May 16 (IANS): A total of 184 fishermen from Gujarat who had been imprisoned in Pakistan for the last four years were reunited with their families as they have returned to their home state.

The fishermen were released by Pakistani authorities on Thursday, marking the end of a long and challenging ordeal.

Upon their arrival at Vadodara Railway Station, the first batch of fishermen was warmly welcomed by State Agriculture Minister Raghavji Patel.

The fishermen expressed their gratitude to the Centre and Gujarat government for their relentless efforts in securing their release.

After the warm reception, the fishermen were promptly sent to their respective native districts by buses, where they were finally able to embrace their loved ones after years of separation.

The sense of relief and joy was palpable as families and friends greeted the returning fishermen with open arms.

The group of fishermen had been languishing in Landi jail in Karachi, Pakistan, since their arrest.

Among the fishermen released on Thursday, 184 were from Gujarat, three from Andhra Pradesh, four from Diu, five from Maharashtra, and two from Uttar Pradesh.